Did you hear? No?! Bestie. Okay, you’re definitely not going to believe all the delicious drama and adorable antics we’ve seen go down in our lovely little town. The real question is how to break down everything you need to know about these amazing contemporary small town romance books.
By author? I totally agree!
Here Are My Top Recommendations For Small Town Romance Books You’ll Want To Tell Everyone About
You’ve probably already heard all about Sarah Adams! She’s proven cozy vibes aren’t just for fall feelings. The first book in her When in Rome series is set in the Summer and full of all the sweet, comforting things we usually look for when the leaves change.
When in Rome by Sarah Adams
CW (may contain spoilers):
Gaslighting, Emotional Abuse, Death of a Parent, Alcohol, Dementia, Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual Content (This list might not cover all content in this book. Please do your research before reading.)
Amelia Rose is burnt out from being the princess of pop, Rae Rose, for years. Inspired by her favorite movie, she decides she needs a Roman holiday of her own! So, she sets off in the middle of the night for Rome, Kentucky.
Noah Walker, however, is too busy dealing with the pie shop his grandmother left him to deal with Amelia’s celebrity problems. Which is exactly what he tells her when he finds her and her broken-down car on his front lawn. He’ll let her stay, but only until her car is fixed; after that, her issues are entirely her own.
One thing leads to another, though, and Amelia finds herself falling in love with more than just the small town, but every holiday has to end eventually.
I swear, Sarah Adams could write about watching paint dry and, as long as it was set in one of her cozy small town romance books, I’d love every moment. Homegrown hijinks are some of her best, and we’re lucky enough to get a whole rom-com book series set in Rome, Kentucky!
This book has forced proximity, a sexy bakery owner, and dual POVs, showing you the ins and outs from both the grumpy and the sunshine's side. What more could you want from a romance novel?
Okay, it’s cool if you don’t remember, but Mariana Zapata was all over social media in recent years. The new cover is a gorgeous addition to the squealiest single dad slow burn of my life. I know it’s easy to be a little intimidated by the size of this standalone, but she really said friends to lovers and delivered with:
All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata
CW (may contain spoilers):
Death of a Parent, Grief, Toxic Relationship, Sexual Content, Injury/Injury Detail, Emotional Abuse, Pregnancy, Mental Illness, Child Abuse (This list might not cover all content in this book. Please do your research before reading.)
Aurora De La Torre, Ora, knows moving back to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, is going to hurt. Her hometown is full of bittersweet memories of her mother, but she’s not going to let that stop her from starting fresh.
Ora is going to reconnect with herself and who her mother really was… if Tobias doesn’t kick her out after he discovers his son put their garage apartment up for rent.
Everything happens for a reason, though, and maybe taking this chance could mean more than just Ora connecting with her past and Tobias letting someone new in.
Friend. Buddy. Pal. This book is everything for fans of forced proximity and slow-burn romance. Mariana Zapata practically starts from embers and stokes this love story into flames in such an adorable and natural way.
Strangers to friends to lovers, grumpy / sunshine, and he’s a single parent who has a great relationship with his son. Why is this not already on your TBR? It’s a must-read palate cleanser for in between your insta-love and fake dating faves.
What else is a little different? Well, Emily Henry’s newest release. I know, I know! You and I chat about Emily Henry a lot; she’s just so good at what she does. At this point, if she writes it, we’re pretty much going to read it, and you know it, too. And what a book to be talking about:
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
CW (may contain spoilers):
Grief, Death of a Parent, Sexual Content, Death, Car Accident, Pregnancy, Dementia, Terminal Illness, Mental Illness (This list might not cover all content in this book. Please do your research before reading.)
Alice Scott is optimistic that she’ll get her big writing break someday! This month could even be her shot; she just needs to win over the woman she assumes is Margaret Ives.
People like her, and she likes people, so encouraging the tragic heiress to choose her should be easy for Alice. Perpetual downer Hayden Anderson already sees her as serious competition, too! The only issue? Margaret Ives isn’t giving either of them the full story.
While each is being fed pieces of Ives’ life, a pesky NDA and an even peskier attraction prevent them both from sharing what they know. Now that their trial period is coming to an end, it’s plain to see that even their story may be a romance or a tragedy, depending on the telling.
The summary alone. I mean, you get it, right? Emily Henry is basically The Author for romance books about books, whether the characters are writing or publishing them. Like, we couldn’t love her more for that already, but this take is just such a fun one about what works and what doesn’t in storytelling and creating tension of all kinds.
If I were to tell you all about how much I loved this rivals-to-lovers romance, we’d be here all day. Let’s just say the slow burn was slow burning, and I can’t wait to see what she surprises us with next!
Speaking of amazing authors! Last time we spoke, I forgot to tell you that Hannah Bonam-Young released a new book in her Out series last year. The first book in this series was:
Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young
CW (may contain spoilers):
Pregnancy, Sexual Content, Cancer, Death of a Parent, Suicide, Ableism, Abortion, Toxic Relationship, Emotional Abuse (This list might not cover all content in this book. Please do your research before reading.)
Win has always been intensely independent and determined not to be coddled for her limb difference. She’s spent so much of her life trying to prove that she can do it all on her own and has been succeeding until her one-night stand with Bo.
That night, everything changes, and while she appreciates that Bo is surprisingly excited to step up, she’s just not sure if she’ll really need his helping hand. Together, they decide to get to know each other as friends, but as they already know, life doesn’t always go exactly as planned.
If there ever was a book that embodied green flags, it’s this one. Readers are obsessed with Hannah Bonam-Young’s disability representation, golden retriever male main character, and the healthy relationships and boundaries set throughout–and rightfully so!
Check this out if you love books with cozy vibes, found family, forced proximity, friends to lovers, and surprise pregnancy done well.
Elsie Silver and her tropes, though? How this woman isn’t already known by everyone, I don’t know. She went from indie to traditionally published in one of the biggest transitions I’ve ever seen, and Off to the Races? What an absolute masterpiece of a novel.
Off to the Races by Elsie Silver
CW (may contain spoilers):
Sexual Content, Cursing, Animal Cruelty, Grief, Death of a Parent, Abandonment, Infidelity, Cancer, Death (This list might not cover all content in this book. Please do your research before reading.)
Vaughn is a professional, and nothing and no one has ever questioned him on it, until Billie comes to work on his ranch. Clashing from the moment they meet, Vaughn finds himself drawn to her feisty spirit yet determined to avoid her as much as he can.
In a small town and even smaller farm, that’s easier said than done. What’s a guy to do when he realizes he’d rather win the girl than his races?
How many ways can Silver say she loves us? Let’s count the tropes in this cozy cowboy romance, shall we! Well, there’s workplace romance, an age gap relationship, enemies to lovers, the grumpy sunshine trope, and these are just the beginning. Did I mention this was Elsie’s debut novel?! Must I say more?
Cowboy romance has really taken off recently! Our own little corner has been particularly obsessed. We can’t really be surprised, though, with so many amazing books coming out. I know how much you love grumpy / sunshine second chance romance, so let me present Lyla Sage’s novel:
Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage
CW (may contain spoilers):
Sexual Content, Panic Attacks/Disorders, Injury/Injury Detail, Death of a Parent, Violence, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood (This list might not cover all content in this book. Please do your research before reading.)
For the first time in her life, Emmy Ryder has no idea what to do with herself. She left Meadowlark, Wyoming, to make a name riding horses. After an accident makes it impossible for her to get back in the saddle, she’s headed back to the very small town she was hoping to escape.
It’s been years since Luke Brooks saw his best friend’s little sister, and now he can’t take his eyes off her. Emmy’s got too much going on to worry about romance, but what if he’s just what she needs to get her spark back?
This is another dual POV novel, and I have a feeling this will be your next binge read. Not only are the tropes troping with PTSD and anxiety representation that land beautifully and a wonderful slow burn romance, but Lyla Sage also created one of the sweetest small towns to grace the page. Do I wish I could visit Meadowlark? Yes, and you will, too!
Haley Cass understands how cute small towns are, basically, their own character. There’s just something in the way she writes that’s so easy to adore! You’re always in for a treat with her romance books, but my personal favorite underrated pick has to be:
In the Long Run by Haley Cass
CW (may contain spoilers):
Sexual Content, Cursing, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Toxic Relationship, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Alcoholism (This list might not cover all content in this book. Please do your research before reading.)
Free-spirited Taylor hasn’t looked back in the 25 years since she left her hometown. She wouldn’t change anything about her life either. Why would she when she’s traveled the world, and there are few things that hold her attention back in Faircombe, Tennessee?
Brooke is definitely Taylor’s opposite, a fact she knows well, having grown up as Taylor’s younger brother’s best friend. Where Taylor refuses to put down roots, Brooke is determined to save hers by making sure her small town doesn’t get swept away like so many in the South have.
With Brooke determined to do anything she can to help Faircombe flourish, she’s willing to ignore her decades-long crush to give the other woman a second chance and maybe find love along the way.
Basically, it’s time to squeal and kick your feet over the tenderness, chemistry, and absolute adorableness of this sapphic small town romance. Haley Cass’ characters are always the best time, but there’s really just so much to love about this book, it’s hard to put into words.
Can you believe Lucy Lennox proved how fine the line between love and hate is, though? Like, for real, the first book in her Forever Wilde series ticks all the boxes.
Facing West by Lucy Lennox
CW (may contain spoilers):
Sexual Content, Death, Death of a Parent, Toxic Relationship, Emotional Abuse, Sexual Assault, Medical Content (This list might not cover all content in this book. Please do your research before reading.)
Nico left his family and tiny Texan hometown years ago to give his mom and sister a better life, but a call from an attorney back home changed everything. He’s now in charge of his sister’s newborn baby.
He returns to Hobie to sign away his rights, convinced he’s not the father his niece needs, but seeing her for the first time has him questioning that decision.
Now all that’s left is to convince Weston Wilde that appearances can be deceiving and he’s not the same scared boy that left.
I'd classify this as another majorly underrated read, and who doesn’t love a nosy grandparent! Lucy Lenox’s grandpas were the most amazing addition to this one, adding a little bit of fun to the heavier parts throughout.
If you like MM romance books with enemies to lovers where the spice is balanced with a little humor and a lot of drama, this will be the perfect book for you!
Was this not the greatest tea this small town has ever seen? I swear we need a column in the newspaper or something. These books just keep getting better and better, I don’t know how we’re gonna keep up otherwise. Now, tell me all about what you’ve been up to! Happy reading!
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